The Permanent Court of Arbitration has accused Russia of breaking maritime laws and Ukraine has vowed the that Crimean bridge “must come down.”
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Anton Korynevych, said that Vladimir Putin “wants to take the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait” for themselves.
He added, “So it has built a great gate at their entrance, to keep international shipping out while allowing small Russian river vessels in.
“The bridge is unlawful, and it must come down.”
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In 2016 Ukraine started legal proceedings when the Kerch bridge was being built between Crimea and the Russian mainland.
The Kyiv Independent reported, Russia has been accused of building the bridge to keep international shipping out and views the seas around the bridge as their “proprietary waters.
Russia now views the Kerch Strait, the Sea of Azov, and perhaps even parts of the Black Sea, as its proprietary waters,” Korynevych said.
Russia wants these waters to be viewed as part of its 21st century empire. And while you will hear Russia’s experts say the Sea of Azov is similar to a lake or a river, Ukraine does not accept this, and neither should this Tribunal,” he added.
Gennady Kuzmin who is Russia’s representative at the court said that Ukraine’s claims are “simply wrong.”
The Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said they are working on “complex solutions” to destroy Putin’s prized Crimean bridge and “work is ongoing.”
Budanov told Ukrinform, “Everyone is working on long-range strikes and (the destruction of the Crimean bridge).
“All this requires, let’s say, a complex solution.”
Crimea has been quietly “turning into a trap” for Russians as airfields, missile systems, military buildings and naval ships have all been attacked leaving most destroyed over the past year.
Previously Vasyl Malyuk the head of the Ukrainian SBU warned Russian forces in Crimea “Death is the only prospect we can offer the occupiers.”
